Condenado a vivir

This film made by a consortium of regional TV stations in Spain has again been shown on our regional station, coinciding with the premiering of Alejandro Amenábar's 'Mar Adentro' in Spanish cinemas and at the Mostra di Venezia.

Hardly being more than an interesting document of about 80 minutes duration, this film was made with a rather modest or meagre budget so as to 'cash in on' the story of Ramón Sampedro, the Galician fisherman who decided to commit suicide helped by those who most loved him. This story of self-imposed euthanasia occupied the headlines here in Spain. The resulting film is somewhat superficial, lacking real human emotion, as well as not having a single genuine Galician accent among any of the actors. The good point is Ernesto Chao in the title role, who was able to carry out fairly well the role of an articulate and intelligent man who never lost his good humour and wit, despite being doomed to his bed for some 27 years. Apart from this, the film is rather seedy, made for easy TV-consumption.

If you have not seen Amenábar's 'Mar Adentro', by all means, watch this one; but if you have seen Amenábar's version of Ramón Sampedro's life and death, you should skip this TV version.

I shall very soon post a review of 'Mar Adentro'.